The probability that people who have close contact with wild animals are liable to contract SARS is high, according to the scientific and technological department of Guangdong Province. The information is based on the latest study by the province's SARS prevention and control group.

Coronary serum anti-body tests were recently carried out on 508 workers at three provincial wild animal wholesale markets, and 66 tested positive for the SARS antibody detected in their blood. The rate of 13 percent is almost twice the normal rate of 6.3 percent.

Of the 66, those who have had frequent contact with civet cats, wild pigs, rabbits and snakes have the highest rates.

Meanwhile, epidemiologists conducted a follow-up investigation among six SARS patients in Heyuan, Foshan, Shunde and Zhongshan. The result shows that all six had eaten or had contact with wild animals especially snakes in the 20 days before the disease appeared in their immune system.

Besides, a test conducted by the Shenzhen Disease Prevention and Control Center among several groups of people shows that less than 2 percent of medical workers who have had frequent contact with SARS patients tested positive for the blood serum.

During the recent etiology and epidemic seminar, sponsored by the province's SARS prevention and control working group, experts summarized the latest achievements in disease control. They agreed that current studies still cannot prove that the SARS virus is carried by animals and is responsible for the SARS outbreak in humans.

The original source of the virus and ways of spreading it need further investigation and research.

(China.org.cn translated by Li Jingrong on June 2, 2003)